


Bonfire

by Thorinsmut



Series: The Narnia AU [2]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis, The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Centaur!Thorin, Complete, Dancing, Efreet!Nori, Festival, Fire, M/M, Minotaur!Dwalin, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 09:41:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12768276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thorinsmut/pseuds/Thorinsmut
Summary: A little snippet of epilogue to the Narnia AU





	Bonfire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hattedhedgehog](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hattedhedgehog/gifts).



> Originally posted on tumblr, where it was coupled with a thank-you message!  
> <http://thorinsmut.tumblr.com/post/167570453493/if-youre-still-taking-ficlet-prompts-id-love-to>

.

Once, Nori held fire berries from the mountains of the sun in his heart. Once, he’d eaten one, and absorbed its essence into himself. For one singular, shining, moment, he had burned like the sun. Hot enough to melt stone and iron. Hot enough to shatter the arkenstone, and return life to Narnia.

Once, and never again. Nori was just a normal efreet now, bounded in the limits of his fiery body. He would never feel that kind of heat again, or hold that much power.

The closest he was ever likely to get was dancing in the harvest bonfires. They had been massive wicker and straw structures, and at the stroke of midnight he and a select few other efreet lept into them to light them into an inferno. The fire roared around him, and Nori danced within it with Ori and Dori and the other efreets and a handful of salamanders, while all around it other creatures danced and sang.

Thorin, once, would have been the first of those leaping over the flames when the fire began to die back. His dancing days were over, now. The ice of the arkenstone had scarred him, and taken most of his body’s strength with it when its power left him. With every year he moved slower. Now he sang, beautiful voice undamaged, and cheered for the leaps of those who still could clear the flames.

This year it was Fili who made the first leap, followed close by Kili. The young centaurs had grown strong and proud in the years since the fell winter. There was a great cheer for them—that finally another centaur of the royal line was able to make the first leap.

One last little piece of the world, righting itself.

Dwalin would have stayed with Thorin all night. He would have held his beloved king in his arms and sang with him all the night, if Thorin had not all but ordered him to join the revelry. Dwalin did enjoy dancing. Nori, watching from within the flames, could tell the moment when Dwalin stopped thinking that he ought to be back with Thorin and gave himself over to the celebration. He was powerful, the strength of his body on full display as he circled and stomped. The firelight glinted dangerously off his tall horns, shimmered on the sweat that gathered on his bare skin. He turned, faster and faster, and when he finally gathered himself and made his leap over the flames of the bonfire, Nori lept up in a torrent of sparks to meet him.

Dwalin laughed, one powerful arm closing around Nori’s body to carry him the rest of the way over the fire. Nori felt as light as featherdown in the minotaur’s hands as he was held pulled along in the dance. His sweat sizzled in contact with the heat of Nori’s body, but Dwalin danced with him anyway. As close as the lovers they were.

He did not fear the fire. And when he tossed Nori high into the air, arms outstretched to catch him, Nori poured, molten, down his arms and chest—covering him.

.


End file.
